Eyecap



Jan. 14, 1969 c. w. RECTOR 3,421,190

EYECAP Filed May 2, 1966 INVENTOR. 9 7 5 C'H/LQZAS W P567016 4W, SJZM+W United States Patent 0 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An eyecap is disclosed for placement beneath the eyelids of a deceased person to hold the lids closed and to present a natural appearance. The cap includes elongated upstanding louvers which engage the eyelid tissue to hold the lids closed without penetrating the tissue. The louvers are curved to correspond to the naturally formed wrinkles in the eyelids. The cap defines a series of louver-forming slits which terminate at their ends leaving a narrow neck portion which is easily severed to extend a pair of such slits completely around the .cap and thereby reduce the size of the cap for use on a smaller corpse.

The eyecap of this invention is designed for morticians use, to be located beneath the eyelids of a corpse and to fit over the eyeball. So used it keeps the eyelids closed, and maintains the eyeball fully rounded, yet produces no suggestion of its presence.

Eyecaps in common use (such for example as illustrated in the patent to Morgan, No. 1,016,083) are formed with numerous spurs which penetrate the mucous lining within the eyelids, in order to insure closure of the lids and retention in place of the cap. Such penetration induces dehydration to a degree that would not occur in the absence of penetration. The eyelids are thin, and excessive dehydration, over a period of several days, or when the corpse must be kept refrigerated, alters the natural appearance, and the presence of the spurs may be indicated through the lids, or it may be diflicult to keep the lids fully closed.

The eyecap of this invention employs louvers the generally linear arcuate edges whereof, outstanding from the generally rounded convex surface of the cap, and directed towards the peak, engage the inner surfaces of the lids without the necessity of penetration, yet by reason of their engagement throughout several long lines they engage surely enough to hold the lids fully but naturally closed. Since penetration is avoided, dehydration is at a minimum. Further, these arcuate edges blend with the inferior and superior palpebral sulci, further obscuring their presence.

This eyecap is formed fully rounded, with its peak imperforate, and it fully fills out the naturally rounded contour of the eyeball, notwithstanding that the cornea will tend to depress from dehydration, and the imperforate peak above the cornea will assist in maintaining the natural appearance of the closed eye. In addition, where the eyeball has been excised, as for a corneal transplant, such a peak obscures that fact.

Caps in use heretofore have been supplied in at least three sizes (and sometimes four), a large size for use with adults, a medium size for use with smaller adults or children, and a small size for use with children or infants. Thus the mortician must keep on hand an adequate supply of each size, for it is not practicable to reduce the size of such caps. By the present invention but one size need be kept on hand, for the construction is such that it is extremely simple to reduce the largest size to a smaller or to a smallest size, each premeasured to fit the different categories.

In some cases, as for example holding under refrigeration or otherwise for extended periods, as for a delayed autopsy, or for arrival of family members from a distance, the lids may dry out and retract to the extent that they are not easily closed. The eyecap of this invention provides slits that can receive and hold a humectant or emollient to soften the tissues; moreover, in case of mutilated or swollen areas involving the eye, arising perhaps from manipulation caused by removal of the eyeball or the cornea immediately following death, such slits can receive and hold a cauterizing or reducing agent to reduce the swelling. The slits can in other cases, be used to contain adhesives to apply directly at the line of closure.

The general objects of the invention are outlined above, and other objects, and the manner in which its objects are attained, will appear more clearly as this specification progresses.

The eyecap is shown in the accompanying drawings in a form such as is preferredby me, but it may assume variant forms, as will become apparent.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view, looking towards the peak of the cap.

FIGURE 2 is an edge view, looking towards the cap from above or below.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the cap. FIGURE 4 is a view from the inner or outer end, and

partly in section, showing the cap as installed in use.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the upper half of the cap, taken substantially at the line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing how such a cap may readily be reduced in size to fit smaller cases.

As has been indicated above, dehydration of the mucous lining of the eyelids, of the eyeball, itself, and in the region of the medial canthus, and consequent shrinkage of the flesh or of the eyeball, is bound to occur and to accelerate as time passes after death. Such dehydration is accentuated if the mucous lining is penetrated, or if the cornea is exposed, or if the exit from the tear duct at the canthus is left open. Such dehydration is the more rapid if the body is refrigerated, or the atmosphere is especially dry. It has the effect of holding the eyelids against closing, yet this would be highly objectionable. All these effects are multiplied and added to if the eyeball is surgically excised as a preliminary to corneal transplant. Such excision is quite commonly productive of swelling and discoloration of the flesh about the eye, and this, too, is objectionable.

The eyecap 1 of the present invention is formed as a cup, rounded in all directions from its peak at 10, and preferably of oblong-elliptical or almond shape (although it may be substantially round) in outline. Being of thin material it is somewhat flexible, although it tends to be form-sustaining; its rounded or cuplike shape overlies the eyeball and its outer edge fits between the eyelids and the eyeball. In use the major axis of the cap extends transversely, and the peak 10 in general overlies the cornea.

Rather than relying on spurs that penetrate the lining of the lids to hold the cap in place, and to keep the lids closed, the eyecap of this invention is formed with an upper series of two or more louvers 11 (usually three) that are arranged generally in parallelism, arching from the inner and outer ends upwardly above the caps peak 10, and with a similar lower series of louvers 12 arching downwardly beneath the peak 10. These louvers, being of slight height, stand up rather stitfiy from the convex surface of the eyecap, and leave slits or apertures 13 in the thin material from which they are struck up. As shown in FIGURES 1, 3, 5 and 6, the cap 1 defines a series of paired generally parallel arcuate slits or apertures 13, one of each pair being positioned on the upper portion of cap 1 a distance from the upper edge of the cap equal to the distance the other of the pair of slits is positioned from the lower edge of cap 1 with the ends of each pair of slits 13 being separated by short severable necks 14 at each end of cap 1. The outstanding edge of each louver is preferably linear, although arcuate as seen in plan (FGURE 1), that is to say, it is not serrated. To a degree such edges are sharp, sharp enough to bite into but not to penetrate the inner lining of the lids. The presence of the outstanding louvers tends to strengthen and support the cap.

By preference the cap is made of a plastic material, for instance of molded nylon or vinyl, and although it can be flexed, it tends to maintain its cup-like form and to retain its louvers outstanding, even though of quite thin material. It could be made of a material such a sheet metal, but the plastic material is preferred, and is especially desirable for a reason that will appear shortly.

Assuming that the normal or large size will fit properly, the cap is installed beneath the eyelid. The two series of louvers 11 and 12 bite into the inner lining of the lid sufliciently and throughout such a length of arcuate lines that the lids are held closed, yet these edges do not penetrate and hence leave no punctures to induce dehydration. If dehydration has already occurred, the louvers can be filled with an emollient or humectant to counter its eifect, and if swell-ing or discoloration has occurred, a cauterizing or reducing agent can be applied in the same way.

Since the upper lid is about three times the height of the lower lid, the upper lid will normally overlie the peak 10, and may engage the innermost louver of the lower series 12. That louver is curved to match the curvature of the edge of the upper lid, hence the louvers presence is not apparent, and an adhesive in the slit of this louver will assist in retaining the lid closed, it necessary.

The installed eyecap tends to seal oh the eye as a whole from dehydration, and to keep the lids from opening. Should opening occur to some degree, any or all the louver slits afford spaces wherein an adhesive can be placed, to insure retention of the lids in closed condition. Should the cornea tend to shrink, the form-sustaining nature of the cap keeps this from being evident. No ridges along the lines of the louvers appear, since they blend with the wrinkles commonly found in the superior and inferior palpebral sulci, that extend arcuately as do the louvers.

Such louvers define slits 13, the ends whereof, in the upper and the lower series approach closely at the ends of the cap, to leave narrow necks 14. Regardless of whether the upstanding edges of the louvers engage and hold the eyelids closed, or this function is otherwise performed, the slits 13 will still perform a highly useful function in adapting a single size of eyecap to use with corpses of widely varying size of eye. The necks 14, if the eyecap is too large for a particular corpse, can readily be cut by surgical scissors such as are always at hand in the operating room, provided the cap is of plastic material. As FIGURE 6 suggests, the outermost ring of the eyecap can be severed by snipping across necks 14, and if the cap is still too large, the next ring can be severed, yet still the eyecap will have one louver at top and one at bottom to reain it in place and to keep the eyelids closed, or to receive an emollient or the like. The mortician need only keep one size on hand, and can adapt that size for use with smaller corpses.

Such an eye cap, by means of its slits and louvers, alfords the ability to retain a large quantity of humectant, emollient, cauterizing, or reducing agents. It assures a maximum capacity to close the lids, and in maximum degree to impede passage of air through the line of closure. There is no impaling of tissues on sharp spurs, such as would encourage dehydration through the extremely thin membranes. The louvers are so disposed that they conform quite closely to the natural external appearance, and their presence goes unnoticed. The cap as a whole, being thin, is quite flexible, if made of the preferred material, and conforms to the curvature of the eyeball. Its use eliminates any need for a plurality of sizes of eyecap, for the one large size is very readily reducible in size with an instrument always readily at hand. It is no more expensive than eyecaps commonly in use, and because of its adaptability in size is actually much less expensive.

What is claimed is:

1. An eyecap for morticians use comprising a formsustaining cup of thin material rounded in all directions to fit over the eyeball and beneath the lids, said cap defining a series of paired generally parallel arcuate slits one of each pair being positioned on the upper portion of said cap a distance from the upper edge of said cap equal to the distance the other of said pair of slits is positioned from the lower edge of said cap with the ends of each pair being separated by short severable necks at each end of said cap and formed with an upper and lower series of arcuate louvers struck at said slits from the cup and outstanding from the convex surface thereof, in generally parallel relation in each series, and directed transversely in use.

2. An eyecap as in claim 1, wherein the louvers are continuous over at least a material port of their length.

3. An eyecap as in claim 2, wherein the louvers are continuous throughout their length.

4. An eyecap as in claim 1, wherein the outstanding edge of each louver is substantially linear.

5. An eyecap as in claim 4, wherein the outstanding edge of each louver is directed away from the caps edge and toward its peak.

6. An eyecap as in claim 1, wherein the louvers of the upper series terminate at their inner and outer ends adjacent the like ends of those of the lower series, to define between such adjacent ends said short severable necks.

7. An eyecap as in claim 1, made from a form-sustaining plastic material, and wherein the louvers of the upper series terminate at their inner and outer ends adjacent the like ends of those of the lower series, to define between such adjacent ends said short severable necks.

8. An eyecap as in claim 1, wherein the louvers of the upper series curve upwardly from each end, and the louvers of the lower series curve downwardly from each end, to leave an imperforate area at the peak of the cap.

9. An eyecap for morticians use comprising a formsustaining cup of oblong-elliptical outline and of thin plastic material, which in use is disposed with its major axis transversely, said cap being rounded in all directions from its peak to fit over the eyeball and beneath the lids, said cap defining a series of paired generally parallel arcuate slits, one of each pair being positioned on the upper portion of said cap a distance from the upper edge of said cap equal to the distance the other of said pair of slits is positioned from the lower edge of said cap With the ends of each pair being separated by short severable necks at each end of said cap, such that when said necks are severed the resulting cap is of smaller overall size having the same oblong-elliptical outline that it had prior to severing, and formed with an arcuate series of two or more generally parallel transverse louvers outstanding at said slits from the material of the cap, and arching upwardly above the peak, the outstanding edges of the louvers being generally linear and directed towards the peak, said louvers terminating adjacent the inner and outer ends of the cap, and the cap being formed also with a like series of louvers arching downwardly beneath the peak, and terminating at their ends adjacent the ends of the series of upper louvers, to leave said narrow neck between such adjacent ends, the peak being imperforate.

10. An eyecap for morticians use comprising a formsustaining cup of thin, severable material rounded in all directions to fit over the eyeball and beneath the lids, and formed with two opposite series of arcuate slits in generally parallel relation in each series, the ends of corresponding slits in one series approaching closely such ends in the other series, to define narrow, severable necks.

References Cited 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 683,556 10/1901 Dolge 27-21 1,016,083 1/1912 Morgan 27-21 2,142,614 1/1939 Mitchell 27-21 10 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM E. KAMM, Assistant Examiner. 

